Qatar University College of Engineering (QU-CENG) recently held a workshop to discuss the developments and solutions for the transition of Qatar’s power system to a smart grid.

Themed “Qatar Power System Transition to a Smart Grid”, the event was part of a research project sponsored by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), and supported by its collaborating research institutions -- Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Mobility and Innovations Center (QMIC), Virginia Tech, and University of Sheffield -- and industrial partners Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), Siemens, and Iberdrola. It aimed to provide a discussion platform for local and international researchers, and industry experts on establishing a research initiative for a successful transition of Qatar power system to a smart grid.

They discussed a wide range of topics such as “Qatar Smart Grid Perspective”, “Demand Side Management Through Buildings Energy Management”, “Smart Sensors and Devices in Smart Grids”, “Smart Grids Communication Systems and Protocols”, “Energy Saving Through Voltage Regulation”, and more.

Commenting on the workshop, Dr Alammari said: “It underlines the college’s ongoing efforts to actively tackle local challenges and research solutions for issues that are of the interest of the wider community. It also reflects the college’s commitment to providing a platform for researchers, experts and stakeholders to share research findings and engage recommendations that will inform decisions by industry policy-makers and leaders in Qatar.” Prof Gastli said: “This workshop highlights the research team members’ commitment to disseminating their research findings with national and international key players in the field of smart grid. It is a good opportunity to bring together researchers, experts and students to share their research expertise and build national capacities in this field.”

Prof Benbrahim said: “This workshop underlines the college’s pivotal role in advancing research in the fields of technology and energy, and providing research findings that have a positive impact on the Qatari society. This also shows its commitment to developing collaborations with local and international institutions and promoting quality education and research in Qatar and the region.” Dr Filali said: “At QMIC, we believe that local knowledge and innovativeness are extremely important in the development and deployment of smart grids enablers in Qatar in particular, and the accomplishment of the National Vision 2030 in general.”

Mr Al-Mahmoud said: “Smart grid systems are important to build smart cities. The workshop covers different topics related to transition of Qatar power system to a smart grid such as smart sensors and devices, smart grid communication systems and protocols, efficiency increase, and sustainable energy. At Kahramaa, we believe that collaboration between the education and energy sectors is needed to achieve Qatar’s sustainable progress and development.”